The following sections of this BookRags Literature Study Guide is offprint from Gale's For Students Series: Presenting Analysis, Context, and Criticism on Commonly Studied Works: Introduction, Author Biography, Plot Summary, Characters, Themes, Style, Historical Context, Critical Overview, Criticism and Critical Essays, Media Adaptations, Topics for Further Study, Compare & Contrast, What Do I Read Next?, For Further Study, and Sources.
(c)1998-2002; (c)2002 by Gale. Gale is an imprint of The Gale Group, Inc., a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. Gale and Design and Thomson Learning are trademarks used herein under license.
The following sections, if they exist, are offprint from Beacham's Encyclopedia of Popular Fiction: "Social Concerns", "Thematic Overview", "Techniques", "Literary Precedents", "Key Questions", "Related Titles", "Adaptations", "Related Web Sites". (c)1994-2005, by Walton Beacham.
The following sections, if they exist, are offprint from Beacham's Guide to Literature for Young Adults: "About the Author", "Overview", "Setting", "Literary Qualities", "Social Sensitivity", "Topics for Discussion", "Ideas for Reports and Papers". (c)1994-2005, by Walton Beacham.
All other sections in this Literature Study Guide are owned and copyrighted by BookRags, Inc.
The wheelbarrow, a single-wheeled vehicle with a pair of handles at the rear, is designed to transport small, heavy loads over short distances. The person operating it can pick up the rear and push the load forward; the wheel takes the place of a second person who might otherwise be required to assist in carrying a heavy or cumbersome load.
Modern wheelbarrows have a pair of legs under the rear to keep the load level when the wheelbarrow is not in motion, but some earlier varieties had four legs, one under each corner of the bed. Wheelbarrows are distinguished from carts, which have two wheels and can be either manually pushed or pulled by hitches, and from wagons, which generally have four wheels and are pulled by hitches. A hitch apparatus does not work on a wheelbarrow since there must be at least three points of support for it to remain upright, and the hitch and wheel would supply only two.
The origins of the wheelbarrow can be traced to the first century A.D. in China. Evidence of them has been found in ancient Chinese tombs. Speculation is that wheelbarrows may have been invented not long after the wheel, probably around 4000 B.C. Europeans did not begin using the wheelbarrow until about 1200 A.D., however. It is thought that the European version was created from verbal descriptions brought over the silk routes of Asia.
The Chinese wheelbarrow had its wheel directly under the load, while the European wheelbarrow had its wheel far out in front of the load. The Chinese wheelbarrow had the advantage of bearing more of the load, but the European version was less prone to tipping over. Some Chinese wheelbarrows had sails mounted in front. Obviously the wind had to be in one's favor for this arrangement to be of help.
Wheelbarrows were an important part of the construction of the great cathedrals of Europe. Today, they continue to be a common feature at construction and excavation sites and are also widely used by gardeners and farmers.